Skyvue Ferris Wheel Project Struggles

Las Vegas currently has two Ferris wheels in construction. Caesars Entertainment has the High Roller, situated in the middle of the Strip, and to the south, near Manadalay Bay, there's Skyvue. But recent reports indicate that the Skyvue Ferris Wheel project may be in financial distress. Eight different companies that have worked on the Skyvue have filed liens for their work.

The question is, are two Ferris wheels in Las Vegas overkill?

“Heck yes,” says Las Vegas Review Journal’s Howard Stutz. “London’s got the most famous observation wheel, the London Eye. Singapore’s got an observation wheel. Obviously they’re cities much larger than Las Vegas, and they only have one observation wheel – why do we need two?”

The "London Eye." Caesars' "High Roller" Ferris wheel will be 550 feet tall, compared to the London wheel's 443 feet.

A view from the Navy Pier Ferris wheel in Chicago. It opened in 1995. (Photo by NouQraz)

Support comes from

The Pacific Park Ferris Wheel on Santa Monica Pier was the first to run on solar power. (Photo by Jonathan Alcorn)

The original Pacific Park was dismantled in 2008 and replaced with a new solar-powered wheel featuring 160,000 LED lights. (Photo by guyprentice)

Developer Richard Marin says his Staten Island Ferris wheel will be the world's largest, at 625 feet. It's part of a development that will include an outlet mall and a hotel. Although the wheel will be situated in a flood zone, Hurricane Sandy prompted only minor changes to Marin's plan. (Rendering by New York Wheel, LLC)